6/12/2017 Platos "The Republic" ~The City of Pigs Vs.

Kallipolis~

18th May 2013 Plat " Republi " ~ Cit of Pig V . Kallipoli ~

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Startingfromscratch,SocratesinBookIIofPlatosTheRepublicattemptstovisualiseanideal
cityinordertoexplorefurtherthenotionofpoliticaljusticeandwhereitfitswithintheboundaries
ofthatcity.Heattemptstofigureouttheessentialcomponentsthatautopiaofhistimesstandards
needstoconsistofandinitiallyproposesamodelofacitycharacterisedbysimplicity,moderation
andtheproductionofresourcesjustenoughtosatisfypeoplesbasicneeds.Glaucon,ontheother
hand,callsthismodelacityofpigsinitiatingfurtherdiscussionastowhatisnecessary,idealand
appropriateforahumanbeing.Heinsistsonintroducingluxuryonallaspectsandotherelements
necessaryforthesymposium(whichwasconsideredveryimportantattheirtime),eventually
contributingtowardstheformationofthedescriptionofKallipolisorthefeveredcity.

Tobeginwith,Socratessupportsthatwhatformsasocietyisthemutualattemptoffulfilling
onesnaturalneeds(369b369c)duetothelackofindividualselfsufficiency(Balasopoulos9)
thereforetheinitialmodelofacityhadtotakethatintoaccount.InSocratesssocalledcityof
pigsallshouldabletosatisfytheirbasicneeds,whiletheyinturnprovidedforthewholeaccording

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totheirability.Thecityconsequentlywasinneedoffarmers,builders,weavers,cobblers,
carpenters,smiths,craftsmen,shepherdsandtraders,aswellassomesortofcurrencyfortrading
goods,inorderforeveryonetobeabletocoverthebasicneedsofhousing,clothingandfood,which
werenottobemetinexcessfurtherthanforthepurposeofexportinginexchangeforotheressential
goods.Thus,eachpersonwastodevelopaskillbasedontheirnaturalabilitiesandfromthereonbe
solelyoccupiedandstrivingtowardexcellenceatthatspecificprofessionthatsuitedthembest.This
wasdoneinordertoensurethehighestqualitypossibleinallproduction(369d370c).

Despitethesimplicityofthecityanditsapparentcommunism,Socratessalreadytalksabout
threedistinctclassesthatwouldresidewithinit.Thefirstwouldbethatoftheprotoproletariats
(Balasopoulos9),thegroupofwageearnersortheservitorspeoplewhowouldpossessphysical
powersuitableforlabour,incontrasttotheirintellectualcapacitywhichwoulddeemthem
unsuitableforconversation(371d371e).Thenthereistheclassofspecialisedcraftsmenwhowould
beaidedbytheaforementionedinferiorclassandthetraderclass,consistingofpeopleconsidered
uselessforanyothertask,duetotheirrelativelyweakbodies(370c).

Aspointedoutabovemoderationingeneralwasanextremelyimportantpresuppositionforthe
firstmodelofacity,sincethatmeantacityfreeofwarorpoverty.Peoplewouldsustainthemselves
onhumblemealsmadeofbarley,flourandwheat,noblecakesandloavesthatwouldensurethey
remainedhealthyanddieofoldage.Theirrelisheswouldbeassimpleassalt,olives,cheese,onions
andgreensandtheirdesertwouldconsistoffigs,chickpeas,beans,myrtleberriesandacorns.Their
furniturewouldbeofthesimplestkind,astheywouldcookonsomearrangementofreedsorclean
leavesandsleeponrusticbedsstrewnwithbryonyandmyrtle.Theywouldfeastgarlanded,
drinkwineandpraisethegodsalongwiththeirchildren,singhymnsandentertainthemselveswith
conversations.Sinceallwerefreeofluxuryandtheirdietwascompletelybasedonvegetables,there
wasnothinganoutsiderwouldenvyandwantforthemselves,somethingthatwouldensurepeace
withexternalforces.Theywouldleadsimple,harmoniouslivesthattheywouldpassontotheir
children.(372b372d)

Socratessgivesthedescriptionofthefirstmodelofacitywhichseemstobetheembodiment
oftherationalandconsensualrestraintofappetitivedesire,(Balasopoulos8)causingGlauconto
expresshisstrongdisagreementonthesubjectandtocallitacityofpigs,thusconnotingtoacity
ofdullness,foolishness,onethatlacksambition,culture,refinementandimplicitlytheprincipleof
wantingmoreandbetter(Balasopoulos8)(pleonexia,whichPlatoinBookIhasdefinedasa
naturalstate,uponwhichjusticeisanunnaturalrestraint).Furthermoretheabovecharacteristics
areessentialindistinguishingthebehaviourofahumanfromananimal,thereforerelatingthe
citizenstopigscanbeseenassomewhatpoignant.Socrates,ontheotherhand,statesthatthisisof
whatahealthycity,atruestate,constitutesof(372e),butinGlauconsopinion,acityshould

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includewhatwascustomaryexistentinhisowncomfortslikecouches,diningtablesandluxurious
mealssuchassweetmeats(372d372e).

Socratesthen,atGlauconssuggestion,proceedstomodifythemodelofthecityhealready
describedtostartformingthatofKallipolisbytheadditionoftheaforementioned,aswellas
adornmentssuchaspainting,embroidery,goldandivoryrealisingthathispreviewsplanwas
perhapstooidealisticandblindtothefactthatpeople,includingGlaucon,wouldnotbecompletely
satisfiedandwouldhaveotherunnecessarydesiresaswellthatwouldnotbeabletobecollectively
restrained.Thatmeantthattheproductionwouldnolongerbeconfinedtonecessitiesandthatthe
citywastogrowmuchlargerthanwhatwasalreadyestimated,bytheadditionofhuntsmen,
imitators,poetsandtheirassistants,rhapsodists,actors,chorusdancers,contractors,manufacturers
ofjewellery,tutors,beauticians,barbers,swineherds,aswellasmoreservitorstosatisfythedemand
(373a373c).Alsotherewasaneedforcattleingreatnumbers,withtheadditionofswine,since
nowanimalswereraisedforthepurposeofbeingeaten.Consequentlytherealsohadtobedoctors
andnurses,sincesuchadietismorepronetodiseaseratherthanthatoftheprevioustownwhich
wasvegetablebased(373d).

ItisironicthatKallipolisistheactualthecitywithpigs,whilethesocalledcityofpigsinfact
doesnothaveorconsumeany(Hintze23),especiallywhenyouthinkofitintermsofthepopular
sayingbyHippocrates:Youarewhatyoueat.Theoncehealthy,austereandnaturalcitywas
nowtransformingintoalmostitsopposite,afevered,conventional,bloatedandextravagantone
(Hintze24).Thenamegiventothisimprovedcity,Kallipolis,wasnotatallbychanceitcomes
withasetofcertainconnotations,knowingthatkallimeansbeautiful,bestorhighestinGreek,
illustratinghowitwasintendedtobepresentedasanideal,sophisticatedandjustpoliticalstate.The
factthatitwasgivenanameandofsuchacharacteraswell,incontrasttothepreviewscity(whose
ideawasquicklyabandoned)thathasonlyearnedthetitlethecityofpigs,couldbeaclear
indicationofitssuperiorityintheeyesofitscreators.Paradoxically,itisthefirstcitythatconforms
bettertotheidealofagoodlife,giventhatitischaracterisedbyvirtuessuchastemperance,gaiety,
spontaneity,healthyeating,balance,connectionwithnatureandrespecttoanimals(Balasopoulos
10)itmaynotbeasstable,butitisclearlyethicallysuperior(Morrison252).

Nevertheless,inorderforthisnewcitytobeabletofeaturealloftheabove,theneedof
expansionwasdefinite,giventhattheterritorythatoncewassufficienttofeedall,wasnow
inadequateforKallipolistofunctionasexpectedandtheonlysolutiontothatwasgoingtowar.That
meantfurtherenlargementofthecityspopulationaswell,byawholearmyofspecialisedwarriors,
sincetheexistingcitizensthemselvesweretobesolelyoccupiedwithotherappointedtasks.This
armywouldbeonethatwouldsetforthtofightbothoffensiveanddefensivewars,consideringthat
nowtherewasnotonlytheneedofexpansion,butalsotheneedforprotectionofallthewealthand

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luxurygatheredinthecity(373d373e).Thisagaincontrastswiththecityofpigsthatwassafe
fromassailants.

Thisneedintroducedtheclassoftheguardiansstrong,quick,smart,braveandhighspirited
individuals,whichwereappointed,asSocratesputsit,tothegreatesttaskofallandthereforeshould
havethegreatestleisureandtrainingaswell(375a375b).Theireducationshouldconsistofmusic
andcensoredfables(astonotconveymessagesofatrocity,butvirtueinstead)atyoungeragesand
gymnasticsastheygrewup(376e377a).Furthermore,anunconventionalforthattimepracticewas
introduced,thatofbringingupfemaleguardiansaswell,thesamewaymaleguardiansweretobe
broughtup,whichincludedexercisingnaked(452a452b).Thefemaleguardiansweretobewives
incommonofallthemaleguardiansandtheiroffspringwouldbeconsideredchildrenofall,since
noonewouldknowtheirtruemotherandfather,justastheparentswouldnotknowtheirownchild
(457d).

Theexistenceofguardianspresentedtheneedofinternalcontrol,onebesidesthemeansof
education,throughtherationalandphilosophicalwisdompossessedbyaruler,inordertocontain
thisclassofwarriorswhompossessgreatpowerandarecapableofusingitbothfordestroying
enemies,butagainsttheirowncityaswell.Therulerwouldnotonlymonitorthemthroughthe
meansoftheabsolutelawsthatweretobeestablished,buthewasalsotodecidewhowastomate
withwhom,inordertoperformselectivebreeding,similartothatoneperformsonhishunting
hounds.Theoffspringofanunauthorisedunionwouldbedeemedillegitimateandunholyand
ideallyneverseethelightofday(459a461c).

AlltheseelementsdonotonlygiveKallipolisamilitarycharacter,butalsoatotalitarianoneon
somanylevels.Tobeginwith,theyviolatetherightofonetobreedwithapartneroftheirown
choiceandwhenachildisactuallybornofalegitimateunion,thebasicrightofaguardianparentto
beabletoidentifytheirownchildisalsoviolated.Themarriagesweretobedecidedbylotteries
whichwerenotinfactbasedonchance,butonthedeceitfulrulerspremadedecision,insteadof
thefreechoiceofthepeopleitconcerned(460b).Theuseofpropagandathroughthecontrolofmass
cultureinordertomonitorandcontroldailylife,whileconveyingtheloyaltyofthecitizenstothe
cityandatthesametimeconvincingthemoftheirunequalstandingwithnobleliesaredefinitely
whatonewouldcalldistincttotalitarianfeatures(414b415d)(Brown4.4).

InKallipolis,theoncesimpleclassstructureofthecityofpigshasturnedintoacomplex,
rulegovernedsocialorderwiththeadditionoftheupperguardianclassandthatofthemonarchof
thestate,whichalsohadtobeaphilosopherinordertorulejust(476d480a).Allpreviewssenseof
acommutewhereeveryonehadequalstatusisnowcompletelyextinguished.Theaforementioned
threeclassesfoundinthecityofpigs,nowfellundertheumbrellaoftheproducingclass,which

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stillenjoysthebenefitsofpeace,thankstotheguardianswhointurnhavetheconstantobligationto
facewarfare(Brown4.4).Still,therearesomemajordifferencesintheirlifestyle,suchastheirlevel
ofeducation,theirexposuretomasscultureandtheexcessfoundintheireverydaylifethathas
raisedtheiroverallstandardofliving.Theywerenowtoreceiveaprimaryeducationincontrastto
theirpreviouslylimitedskilllearning,inordertobeabletoappreciatethegreatnessofaphilosopher
andconsequentlythatofthephilosopherkingandthereforeacknowledgehisauthority
unquestionably.Forthesamepurposetheyareturnedintoamaterialisticclassthatcannotdo
withoutproperty,unlikephilosophers,whomareadmiredforthat.

Toconclude,Kallipoliswasintendedtobeanidealutopia,butitsabsolutionanddeprivationof
freewillonsomanyaspects,hasmanagedtoplaceitfarfromthat.Bynomeansisanyofthetwo
citiesideal,somethingthatisrelativeandcanbeseenfromsomanydifferentperspectives.
However,insimplicityliesthetruthandthatiswhatappointsthefreefromlimitationsof
constructedculture,cityofpigs,asasuperiorspecimenforexploringhumannatureandthenotion
ofjusticewithintheboundariesofacommunity.

WorksCited:

Plato,Republic,Books15,trans.PaulShorey,LoebClassicalLibrary237(Cambridge,MA,
andLondon:HarvardUniversityPress,1930reprint.2003),108199.
Plato,TheRepublic,ed.G.R.F.Ferrariandtrans.TomGriffith,CambridgeTextsinthe
HistoryofPoliticalThought(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2000).
Balasopoulos,Antonis.PigsinHeaven?Utopia,AnimalityandPlatosHopolis.125.
eBook.
Brown,Eric,"Plato'sEthicsandPoliticsinTheRepublic",TheStanfordEncyclopediaof
Philosophy(Winter2011Edition),EdwardN.Zalta(ed.),URL=
<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2011/entries/platoethicspolitics/>.
Hintze,Hannah.GluttonyandPhilosophicalModerationinPlato'sRepublic.UMI,2009.
2260.eBook.
Morrison,Donald,R.2007.TheUtopianCharacterofPlatosIdealCity.The
CambridgeCompaniontoPlatosRepublic.232255.


Posted 18th May 2013 by CC

2 View comments

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Nadia Jade 27 March 2015 at 03:29

A wonderful and evocative description of the city. Thank you. Just what I needed.
Reply

Ashutosh Taluja 14 October 2016 at 01:11

simple yet poignant

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